Round straightener



Feb. 3, 1942. J. B. su'r'roN I ROUND STRAIGHTENER Filed Aug. 2, 1940 7Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENT'OR Maw;

Feb. 3, 1942. B, SUTTON 2,271,783

v ROUND STRAIGHTENER I Filed Aug. 2, 1940 l 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 I lflVENTORFiled Aug. 2, 1940 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 mVEr 'roR 4 1M Mu Feb. 3, 1942. JVB.SUTTON ROUND STRAIGHTENER 7 Sheets- Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 2, 1940 INVENTORMMM a f "m I "H mm I" r I m i .1 1 Aw Feb. 9 J. B. SUTTON ROUNDSTRAIGHTENER Filed Aug. 2, 1940 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTO R 4 jm fi/ K/i2 W22 Feb. 3, 1942. J. a. SUTTON ROUND STRAIGHTEIZIER '7 Sheets-Sheet6 Filed Aug. 2, 1940 Feb. 3, 1942 .J B, SUTTON ROUND STRAIGHTENER FiledAug. 2, 1940 7 Sheets-Sheet '7 IN.'ENTOR Patented Feb. 3, 1942 UNlTEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE ROUND STRAIGHTENER John Blair Sutton, Pittsburgh,Pa.

Application August 2, 1940, Serial No. 349,843

22 Claims.

This invention relates to rolling machines and particularly to machinesfor straightening round stock having enlarged, threaded, or otherwisedeformed portions. Straightening such stock in ordinary roll machines isdifiicult due to the entry of the enlarged, or otherwise deformed,portions into the passes with the consequent mutilation of the stock andthe rolls.

One object of the invention is the provision in a straightening machineof novel means for automatically withdrawing a roll from its operatingposition upon the approach of an enlarged, or otherwise deformed,portion of stock, and for returning the roll to operating position whenthe enlargement, or other deformation, has proceeded beyond the pass.

Another object is to provide a novel mechanism for moving a roll towardsand away from a pass, said mechanism being hydraulically operated andarranged to deliver a powerful thrust in the direction in which it isdesired to move the roll.

Still another object is to provide a novel automatic system forcontrollingsuch a mechanism.

A further object is to provide a novel universally adjustable supportingbase for the guide upon which the stock rests as it isfed through thepass.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating one suitable'ernbodiment ofmy invention, Fig. I is a vertical section of a straightening machinetaken in a plane parallel to the pass line for the stock. Fig. II is afragmentary and primarily schematic horizontal section on line IIII ofFig. I. Fig. III is a fragmentary vertical sec tional view taken on lineIIIIII of Fig. I, showing means for adjusting the advanceable andretractable roll of the machine longitudinally with respect to themechanism for moving it toward and away from the center line of the passand transversely with respect to the pass. Fig. IV is a verticalsectional view of the mechanism for moving the advanceable andretractable roll of the assembly toward and away from the pass line ofthe machine. Fig. V is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on lineV-V of Fig. IV. Fig. VI is a plan view, and Fig. VII an elevation ofahydraulic system for moving the roll.

Fig. VIII is a diagram showing the hydraulic roll-moving system and anelectrical control system therefor. Fig. IX is a view partly inelevation and partly in section on the line IXIX of Fig. IV, showingmeans for adjusting the adjvanceable and retractable roll of the machinealong the pass line of the machine and transversely with respect to themechanism for moving the roll.

Referring to Figs. I to V the straightening machine illustrated isarranged for straightening round stock I, having deformed ends. .Asshown, the deformation at the ends of the stock consists of upsets 2 and3. The stock is supported on a guile 4 and is operated upon by a drivenroll 5 and an idler roll 6, such rolls being constructed andfundamentally related in accordance with well-known practice. Travel ofthe stock is indicated by arrow 8, and rotation of the rolls 5 and 6indicated by arrows I and 9 respectively.

Figs. IV and V illustrate supporting and actuating mechanism, by meansof which the idler roll 6 is maintained in active position forcooperation with the driven roll 5, by means of which it may bewithdrawn, laterally of the pass, to permit passage of enlarged portionsof stock, such as the upsets 2 and 3, and by means of which it may bereturned for operating upon normal portions of stock.

Motive power for advancing and retracting the idler roll is provided bya fluid pressure cylinder Ill. The piston of cylinder I0 carries apiston rod II, which is connected through a link l2 with the pin l3forming the common pivotal connection for the links [4 of a lowertoggle. The pressure cylinder I0 is fixed to a movable frame l5, and hasan upper and lower head lllb and Illc connected by rods Illa. Frame I5is connected with a pin l6, forming the common pivotal connection forthe links I! of an. upper toggle. In the position shown in Fig. IV, boththe upper and the lower toggle extend parallel to the line of movementalong which the idler roll 6 is advanced and retracted.

Fig. V, of the drawings shows the connection of frame IE to the uppertoggle. A link block guide I8 is fixed to the frame of the machine, andto it the outer arms of both toggles are pivoted at their distal end bypins l9, and the distal ends of the inner arms of both togglesarepivoted by pins 2| to a link block 20 that is slidable in the guidel8.

When pressure fluid is admitted to the cylinder above the piston (theparts then being arranged as in Fig. IV) the piston rod ll movesdownward, pulling down the pins l3 and bringing the arms it into angularrelation. As the piston rod l I moves downward carrying pin I3 with it,cylinder Ill and frame l5 move upward carrying with them the pin It. Inthis way the against longitudinal movement but rotatable in V the block20. The threaded portion 23 of the screw is engaged in a screw box 24,secured in a longitudinally extending shank a of a forked roll support25 that carries the idler 6. The screw 22 carries a hand wheel, 26,rotation of which adjusts the roll 6 in or out in relation to the block20.

A guide block 21, through which the shank 25a extends, carries a keyZ'Ia for holding the idler roll support and idler roll in angularlyadjusted position. Key 21a is held in place by lever 21b tapped into theguide block 2?. Screw 22 is normally held against rotation by a lockscrew 28. These agencies give rigid backing for the idler in itsadjusted operative position, which position determines the pass throughwhich the stock moves. The overall advancement and retraction is, asindicated above, caused by the straightening or deflection of thetoggles.

The shank 25a of idler roll support 25 is surrounded by a slide block29, extended through a housing to which the link block guide I8 andslide block 29 are clamped by through bolts 39a (see Fig. V). Release ofthe bolts 30a permtis the entire idler roll assembly to be adjustedlaterally of the machine and parallel to the direction of passage of thestock. The means for effecting this adjustment are shown in Fig. IX ofthe drawings. The block 29 is slideable along the slotted ways 29a inthe idler roll housing 39, and in its movement carries with it both theidler roll .6, and the assembly (shown in Fig. IV) for advancing andretracting that roll. Any suitable means for producing the adjustingmovement may be used. I show an adjusting screw I5, which is threaded inthe housing 39, and which is rotatably attached at 29b to the slideblock 29. Adjusting screw I5 carries a hand wheel I6, and as the screwis run in or out in its threaded engagement with the housing, it isfollowed by slide block 29, and by the assembly which that blockcarries.

,These means for adjusting the idler roll toward and away from the passline, and along the pass line, give the necessary pass adjustment forsatisfactory operation of the machine on rounds of different diameter.This adjustment they make consistently with the automatic timedadvancement and retraction of the idler roll into and away frompass-forming position.

As shown in Fig. I, the driven roll 5 is mounted on a housing 3|, thedrive being arranged in well understood manner. The driven roll housing3| and the idler roll housing 30 are spaced by separators 32 and securedtogether by the bolts 33.

The hydraulic system for operating the mechanism above described isillustrated in Figs. VI, VII and VIII. A reservoir 34 contains a body offluid, such as oil, for the system. A motor 35 drives a pump 36 thatdraws fluid from the reservoir by an intake line 31, and delivers it byway of a pressure line 39 to a four-way solenoid controlled valve 39. Areturn pipe 40 leads from the valve 39 back to the reservoir, and aby-pass line 42 controlled by a relief valve 43 leads from the line 38to the reservoir. From the valve 39 delivery pipes 44 and 45 for thepressure fluid lead respectively to the top and bottom of the cylinderI9. As indicated, these lines include flexible sections 44a and 45a.

Fig. VIII shows an electrical system for automatically operating thevalve 39 to actuate the roll-supporting mechanism. A magnetic masterswitch 49, operated by push button 48 controls the complete system.Closing the switch 49 starts the pump motor 35 to supply the hydraulicsystem with pressure fluid, and also closes circuit breakers in theelectrical lines leading to the magnetic switch 59 that controls thehydraulic system. The operating coil in switch 50 is energized by acircuit that includes in series a limit switch '52 and a manual controlstation 5| having starting and stopping buttons. Both limit switch 52and the manual control station 5| must be in circuit-closing position,to complete the circuit to magnetic switch 59 and thus close its severalcontacts.

When the switch 50 is closed, the solenoid of the valve 39 is energizedand operates the Valve to deliver fluid pressure to the line 45. Thevalve 33 is spring biased to deliver to line 44 when the solenoid isdeenergized. In order to accomplish automatic energization anddeenergization of the solenoid of valve 39, limit switch 52 has anoperating lever 47 arranged at the entering end of the roll pass in suchposition as to be engaged by deformed portions of the stock, such as theupsets 2 and 3, and to be swung by them as the stock moves. We shallassume that push button switch 48 has been placed in position to prepareswitch 49 controlling the pump motor 35 for energization of the motor.The stock as it passes the limit switch swings lever 41 from its outposition to its in position, so that the cross rolls may act upon thatportion of the stock which is of normal diameter. In this position(subject to the manual-control switch 5I) it closes switch 50, toactuate the solenoid-operated fluid-controlling valve 39 to conductpressure fluid through pipe 45 entering pressure cylinder H) at theunder side of its piston. This, by moving frame I5 downwardly and pistonrod II upwardly, straighten out the idler-propelling toggles, and bringsthe idler roll into its operative position with respect to the drivenroll.

In starting, the stock I is inserted into the pass with the leadingupset end 2 just beyond the rolls. The lever being brought to the inposition, shown in dotted line in Fig. VIII by insertion of the upsetend 2, operation of the start button at station 5| will close themagnetic switch 59, energizing the solenoid of the valve 39, andoperating the valve to deliver fluid by way of line 45 to the cylinderI0, moving the roll 6 to active position. As the stock I moves and frame15 upwardly, to open the toggles and retract idler roll 6 from itsoperative position, thus permitting the upset end 3 of the stock to passbetween the rolls.

A novel guide-supporting assembly is illustrated in Figs. I, II and III.The guide 4 is arranged beneath'the pass, and extends in the directionof the pass line. The guide 4 is supported by a guide bar 52 which isadjustable both in horizontal and vertical directions. For angularadjustment, the bar 52 is pivoted at one end upon a pin 53 mounted in aguide saddle 54. The other end of the bar is provided with a slot 55that permits both sliding and pivotal movement about a pin 56 mounted ina second guide saddle 51. The saddles 54 and support the opposite endsof the bar 52, and said saddles are provided with inclined uppersurfaces that slidably contact the inclined surfaces 59 of the saddles.Two carriages 65 enclose the saddles 54 and 51 and the wedge blocks 58,and guide the former in vertical paths of adjustment. The carriages 60are slideable horizontally, and are guided by upper guides rails 62 thatlimit the movement of the carriages to horizontal directions transverseto the pass line.

Each of the wedge blocks 58 is horizontally moved in its .carriage 60 bya screw 63 operatively engaged with the wedge block by an offset 64 anda nut (55. The screws have threaded portions 65 threaded into tappedbores 61 in the sides of the carriages 60, and are held againstlongitudinal movement in the carriages, so that rotation of the screwswill move the wedge blocks 58 in the carriages to alter the verticalpositions of the saddles. The screws 63 extend through threadedadjusting collars 68 in which threaded portions 69 of the screws areengaged. The threads of portions 69 correspond in pitch to the threadsof portions 66. The adjusting collars 69 are rotatably mounted and heldagainst longitudinal motion in casings secured upon the housing 30. Thescrews 63 are rotated, for movement of the saddle blocks, by hand wheelsone of which H is shown. Since vertical ad-- justment of the two saddleblocks should be ccincident, one hand wheel may be omitted byinterconnecting the screw shanks by means of a sprocket chain passedover sprockets one of which 12 is shown. The collars 68 are providedwith handles 14 by means of which the collars may be rotated,longitudinally to move the respective screws 63, and therebyhorizontally to adjust the positions of carriages 60. The arrangementtherefore provides for adjustment of the guide bar 52 both horizontallyand vertically by means of the hand wheel 'H and the collars 68.

Since the handles 14 are in any case independently movablelongitudinally to move screw 63 and horizontally to slide carriages 60,unequal adjustment by means of these handles will serve to swing guidebar 52 angularly to adjust the guide 4.

My invention is thus hereinabove shown to reside in organizing a pair ofcross rolls in such manner that one of the rolls is conveniently movableinto and out of position to form with the other a pass line forstraightening round stock while permitting upset ends of the stockfreely to pass between the rolls. The embodiment of my invention asherein described provides efiective and relatively simple means wherebysuch organization is effected and rendered automatically operable.

Corollary to the above, my invention resides in organizing with twocross rolls, cooperating to form a cross rolling pass, astock-supporting guide, so mounted that it is movable angularly, or bysimple translation, in a horizontal plane, and so mounted that it isadjustable vertically with respect to the pass line between the rolls.

Whereas the advanceable and retractable roll has been shown anddescribed as an idler, the relatively fixed roll being driven, thisbeing the simpler structure for use in a straightening machine in whichmy invention is incorporated, it is obvious that the idler roll also maybe made a driven roll by application to it of driving means andconnections of known sort. Numerous other additions to and changes inthe structural embodiment of my invention as defined in the appendedclaims may be made within the boundaries of those claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a cross-roll machine the herein de scribed roll moving assemblyincluding a roll support movable into and out of cooperative passformingposition, a stationary backing structure, toggle connection between thesaid stationary backing structure and the said movable roll support, andtoggle actuating means organized to act on the toggle connection to movethe said roll support.

2. A cross-roll machine in accordance with the definition of claim 1 inwhich the toggle actuating means include an electrically operated fluidpressure system, and a stock operated limit switch organized to controlthe electrical operation of the said fluid pressure system.

3. In a cross-roll machine comprising a frame and at least twocooperative contoured rolls, a roll mounting assembly including asupport for one roll movable into andout of cooperative passformingadjacency to the other roll, actuating means and a stock-operablecontrol therefor organized to move the said roll support into and out ofpass-forming position, and adjusting means independent of the saidactuating means organized to act on the said movable roll support toadjust the proximate position of the roll carried by it with respect toits cooperative roll in pass-forming position of the said roll support.

4. In a cross-roll machine comprising a frame and at least twocooperative contoured crossrolls, a roll mounting assembly including asupport for one roll movable into and out of cooperative pass-formingadjacency to the other roll, actuating means and a stock-operablecontrol therefor organized to move the said roll support into and out ofpass-forming position and adjusting means independent of the saidactuating means organized to move the said roll support selectively ineither or both of two directions to adjust the proximate position of theroll carried by it with respect to its cooperative roll in pass-formingposition of the said roll support.

5. A cross-roll machine in accordance with the definition of claim 3 inwhich the actuating means organized to move the movable roll supportinto and out of pass-forming position includes an electrically operatedfluid pressure system, and a stock-operated limit switch organized tocontrol the electrical operation of the said fluid pressure system.

6. A cross-roll. machine in accordance with the definition of claim 4 inwhich the actuating means organized to move the movable roll supportinto and out of pass-forming position includes an electrically operatedfluid pressure system, and a stock-operated limit switch organized tocontrol the electrical operation of the said fluid pressure system.

7. In a cross-roll machine comprising a frame and at least twocooperative contoured rolls, a roll mountin assembly including a supportfor one roll movable into and out of cooperative passforming adjacencyto the other roll, and actuating means including a toggle connection tosaid roll support and means for applying power thereto organized to movethe roll support into and out of pass-forming position of the rollcarried by the said roll support.

8. In a cross-roll machine comprising a frame and at least twocooperative contoured rolls, a roll mounting assembly including asupport for one roll movable into and out of cooperative passformingadjacency to the other roll, actuating means including a toggleconnection to said roll support and means for applying power theretoorganized to move the roll support into and out of pass-forming positionof the roll carried by the said roll support, and adjusting meansindependent of the said actuating means organized to act on the saidmovable roll support to adjust the proximate position of the rollcarried by it with respect to its cooperative roll in passformingposition of the said roll support.

9. In a cross-roll machine comprising a frame and at least twocooperative contoured rolls, a roll mounting assembly including asupport for one roll movable into and out of cooperative pass-formingadjacency to the other roll, actuating means including a toggleconnection to said roll support and means for applying power theretoorganized to move the roll support into and out of pass-forming positionof the roll carried by the said roll support, and adjusting meansindependent of the said actuating means organized to act on the movableroll support to move the said roll support selectively in either or bothof two directions to adjust the proximate position of the roll carriedby it with respect to its cooperative roll in pass-forming position ofthe said roll support.

10. A cross-roll machine in accordance with the definition of claim '7,in which the means for applying power to the toggle connection to theroll support include an electrically operated fluid pressure system, anda stock operated limit switch organized to control the electricaloperation of the said fluid pressure system.

11. A cross-roll machine in accordance with the definition of claim 8,in which the means for applying power to the toggle connection to theroll support include an electrically operated fluid pressure system, anda stock operated limit switch organized to control the electricaloperation of the said fluid pressure system.

12. A cross roll machine in accordance with the definition of claim 9,in which the means for applying power to the toggle connection to theroll support include an electrically operated fiuid pressure system, anda stock operated limit switch organized to control the electricaloperation of the said fluid pressure system.

13. In a cross-roll machine comprising a frame and at least twocooperative contoured cross rolls organized in the frame to form betweenthem a cross rolling pass for round stock; a stock-supporting guide inthe pass formed by the said rolls, a support for the said guidewedge-mounted and organized for swinging movement between its ends, andoperating means arranged to act on the said guide support to raise andlower the said support and guide in the roll pass and angularly toadjust the guide in the said pass.

1%. In a cross-roll machine comprising a frame and at least twocooperative contoured cross rolls organized in the frame to form betweenthem a cross rolling pass for round stock; a stock-supporting guide inthe pass formed by the said rolls, a guide support mounted at its endsupon horizontally movable wedging members and mounted for swingingmovement between its ends, horizontally movable carriages for saidwedging members and guide support at the ends of the guide support,operating means for said wedging members organized to raise and lowerthe guide support to adjust the level of the guide in the roll pass, andoperating means for the said horizontally movable carriages organized bycausing unequal horizontal movement of the carriages to swing the guidesupport between its ends angularly to adjust the guide in the roll pass.

15. In a cross-roll machine comprising a frame and at least twocooperative cross rolls organized in the frame to form between them across rolling pass for round stock; a stock-supporting guide in the passformed by the said rolls, and a support for the said stock-supportingguide mounted for both vertical adjustment and for angular adjustment ina horizontal plane with respect to the pass formed by the cross rolls.

16. In a cross-roll machine comprising a frame and at least twocooperative cross rolls organized in the frame to form between them across rolling pass for round stock; a stock-supporting guide in the passformed by the said rolls, a support for the said stock-supporting guide,a wedge mounting for the said guide support and operating means arrangedto act on the said guide support and its mounting to raise and lower thesaid guide support and guide with respect to the pass formed by thecross rolls.

1?. In a cross-roll machine comprising a frame and at least twocooperative cross rolls organized in the frame to form between them across rolling pass for round stock; a stock-supporting guide in the passformed by the said rolls, and mounting and operating means for the guidesupport arranged to raise and lower the said guide support and the saidguide with respect to the pass formed by the cross rolls.

18. In a cross-roll machine comprising a frame and at least twocooperative cross rolls organized in the frame to form between them across rolling pass for round stock; a stock-supporting guide in the passformed by the said rolls, and a support for the said stock-supportingguide mounted for both vertical adjustment and horizontal adjustmentwith respect to the pass formed by the cross rolls.

19. In a cross-roll machine comprising a frame and at least twocooperative cross rolls organized in the frame to form between them across rolling pass for round stock; a stock-supporting guide in the passformed by the said rolls, a support for the said stock-supporting guide,a wedge mounting for the said guide support, and operating meansarranged to act on the said guide support and its mounting to raise andlower the said guide support and guide and to adjust them horizontallywith respect to the pass formed by the said cross rolls.

20. In a cross-roll machine comprising a frame and at least twocooperative contoured rolls, a roll mounting assembly including asupport for one roll movable into and out of cooperative pass-formingadjacency to the other r011, actuating means organized to move the saidroll support into and out of pass-forming position, and a control forsaid actuating means organized by contact thereof with the stock tocause the said actuating means to move the said roll support intopass-forming position and upon Withdrawal of the stock to cause the saidactuating means to move the said roll support out of pass-formingposition.

'21. In a cross-roll machine comprising a frame and at least twocooperative contoured rolls, a roll mounting assembly including asupport for one roll movable into and out of cooperative passformingadjacency to the other r011, actuating means organized to move the saidroll support into and out of pass-forming position, and a limit switchfor said actuating means organized by contact thereof with the stock tocause the said actuating means to move the said roll support intopass-forming position and upon withdrawal of the stock to cause the saidactuating means to move the said roll support out of passformingposition.

22. In a cross-roll machine comprising a frame and at least twocooperative contoured rolls, a roll mounting assembly including asupport for one roll movable into and out of cooperative passformingadjacency to the other roll, actuating means including an electricallyoperated fluid pressure system organized to move the said roll supportinto and out of pass-forming position, and a control for said actuatingmeans organized by contact thereof with the stock to cause the saidactuating means to move the said roll support into pass-forming positionand upon withdrawal of the stock to cause the said actuating means tomove the said roll support out of assforming position.

JOHN BLAIR SUTTON.

